All products are independently selected by our editors. If you buy something, we may earn an affiliate commission. Learn how we test.
If you've ever coloured your hair, you might be familiar with Olaplex (and if not, this guide is your sign to get acquainted). The brand behind the breakthrough seven-step hair routine quickly became the hair treatment that top salons and beauty insiders couldn't live without when it first launched, and they've been slathering it all over their clients' hair ever since.
Olaplex products are loved for their ability to repair severely damaged hair that's coloured regularly (which is welcome news for those of us who bleach or dye our hair often) – as well as delivering a glossy, strengthening treatment to all hair types and textures, coloured or not.
Sure, experimenting with colour is a form of self-expression as well as an integral part of many beauty routines, but there's no denying that repeated colouring can damage the quality of our hair, making it more prone to dryness, dullness and split ends. When hair is damaged, colour doesn't last as long, which means even more dye jobs and ultimately, even more damage. Argh! It's a vicious cycle.
But fret not: Olaplex is here to save the day. Never more so than now, with the launch of their new N°4C Bond Maintenance Clarifying Shampoo (available from 27 June at Space NK) which is designed to be used weekly to deep clean the impurities that weigh hair down and dull shine, without stripping hair or lifting colour. Want to know more about the new release, every other Olaplex step and how it can transform damaged locks? Here's the lowdown.
What is Olaplex?
Olaplex is a system that permanently rebuilds the damaged disulphide bonds in your hair that are broken during the chemical process. If you've over-bleached or had your hair highlighted for years, Olaplex allows you to rebuild the strength, structure and integrity of your hair; a 'reset' for your locks, if you will.
The system has allowed colourists to do work that they'd only ever dreamed of before. Black to white blonde in one session? No problem.
What are the stages of Olaplex?
Olaplex is a multi-step, hair strengthening treatment that re-builds disulfide bonds within the hair that are broken by colouring the hair or chemically treating it or using high heat to style it.
Steps zero and three through to nine, as well as the brand new N°4C, are available as at-home products, while steps one and two are in-salon services only and must be administered by the professionals.
The in-salon steps:
Olaplex No. 1: Bond Multiplier is for professional in-salon use – and can be put on the hair as a standalone treatment, or if you're getting your colour done, it is mixed in with the bleach and put straight onto your hair in foils.
Olaplex No. 2: Bond Perfector is then put on the hair once the bleach is rinsed out, usually at the back wash. This is left on for a good 20 minutes to really get the most out of its chemical mending.
The at-home steps:
Olaplex No.0 Bond Builder, £26, LookFantastic
This at-home product primes the hair perfectly for maximum absorption of the next step in the at-home treatment regime, Olaplex No 3. It contains the highest concentration of Olaplex’s patented molecule, Bis-Aminopropyl Diglycol Dimaleate, within the Olaplex retail product line-up.
No. 0 is formulated to intensify the No. 3 treatment, strengthen and repair hair from chemical, thermal, mechanical, and environmental damage. For best results, and in lockstep with the professional stand-alone treatment, Olaplex stylists recommend layering a generous amount of Olaplex No. 3 Hair Perfector on top of the No. 0 and rinsing the mixture after 10 minutes.
Save when you shop for Olaplex with these LookFantastic discount codes.
Olaplex No.3 Hair Perfector, £26, LookFantastic
This take-home treatment is recommended for use once a week and is best applied before your shampoo and conditioner. Apply 1-3 teaspoons to dampened hair and comb through evenly. Leave on for 10-30 minutes or do as Kimmy K does and leave overnight.
Earlier this year, Olaplex No.3 was the subject of concern after it was revealed that the original formula contained an ingredient called butylphenyl methylpropional, or 'lilial' – a fragrance compound that is set to be banned for cosmetic use in the EU from March 2022 due to safety concerns and a potential risk to fertility. While studies have suggested that the levels of lilial in one product wouldn't be harmful, if a number of different products were used that also contained the ingredient, the levels could add up.
Olaplex confirmed to GLAMOUR that lilial had been phased out of their products completely as of January 2022.
Olaplex No.3 has been reformulated.
Olaplex No.4 Bond Maintenance Shampoo, £26, LookFantastic
This can replace your regular shampoo for a hydrating, strengthening top-up at every wash.
Olaplex No. 4-P Blonde Enhancer Toning Shampoo, £26, LookFantastic
Enriched with the brand’s original Bond-Builder System, that we all know and love, the No.4-P formula works to transform dry, brittle areas into soft, shiny and resilient strands. It helps to lend strength and manageability, all while illuminating your blonde. In fact, Olaplex No.4-P is scientifically proven to make hair three times brighter than other purple shampoos. What’s more, the Olaplex No.4-P is also vegan and cruelty-free, while also being free from sulphates, parabens, gluten, nuts, phosphates and phthalates. Impressive, huh?
Olaplex No.4-P is now available at LOOKFANTASTIC. It is also available in a supersize bundle along with the cult classic, the No.3.
Save when you shop for Olaplex with these LookFantastic discount codes.
Olaplex No. 4C Bond Maintenance Clarifying Shampoo, £26, Space NK
The problem with deeply cleansing hair is that it can strip it of its shine and colour. But Olaplex has made it possible to leave strands squeaky clean and extremely nourished at the same time with its new Bond Maintenance Clarifying Shampoo. The formula erases hard water minerals, build-up, excess oil, heavy metals, chlorine and pollutants, gently removing everything you don't want in your hair whilst simultaneously fortifying bonds and strengthening strands with its patented repair technology.
Olaplex No.5 Bond Maintenance Conditioner, £26, LookFantastic
This is the final step in the treatment to hydrate and smooth hair and is recommended to be left on for three minutes before rinsing.
Olaplex No.6 Bond Smoother, £26, LookFantastic
This leave in smoothing cream is designed to be applied to damp hair after each wash and helps to eliminates frizz and moisturises chemically-treated hair.
Olaplex No.7 Bonding Oil, £26, LookFantastic
This oil somehow manages to restore shine and vibrance to hair without leaving a greasy residue or weighing hair down. Plus, it further helps to rebuild and strengthen the bonds that are damaged by hair colour or chemical treatments, meaning healthier hair in the long run.
Save when you shop for Olaplex with these LookFantastic discount codes.
Olaplex No.8: Bond Intense Colour Mask, £26, LookFantastic
This 4-in-1 restorative mask is infused with that iconic patented Olaplex Bond Building technology, that promises to provide the hair with intense moisture, add volume, smoothness, body and shine. Making it the ideal treatment for damaged hair.
Olaplex No.9: Bond Protector Nourishing Hair Serum, £26, Selfridges
The latest addition to the Olaplex family is a daily anti-damage serum, which protects hair from pollution, heat and UV rays for up to 48 hours. As well as the brand's Bond Building Technology, it also contains antioxidant-rich Red Algae Extract and is silicone-free to leave hair weightless, silky and healthy.
Olaplex No. 8 reviewed:
"I'm going to be honest – and pray that my colourist, Harriet Muldoon, isn't reading this – I am perpetually lazy when it comes to haircare. I once went four years without so much as a trim thanks to a fear developed after a very ill-advised 'Pob' about fifteen years ago, and if it weren't for my bleached bonce I'd likely avoid the hair salon for another four. As it is, I plumped for platinum at Larry King three years ago and have been loyally returning every 8-ish weeks since. That was, of course, until lockdown hit.
I'm now counting down the days until Harriet can get her hands on these four-month-old roots - but it's not just my roots that are transformed every visit thanks to the smorgasbord of treatments she applies which never fail to revive my frazzled ends. I can't count the number of times she's told me to get on the Olaplex hype from home, but my low-maintenance attitude to the most high-maintenance hair colour has so far deterred me."
"Having got my mitts on the Olaplex No.8 I decided, for a brief moment, to do exactly what I was told for my hair. I freshly shampooed, applied (a few more than) the recommended 2 pumps, swooned over the delicious scent – not strictly in the instructions but I challenge you not to do the same – and worked the product through my mid-lengths to ends with my fingers.
“I waited a little longer than the recommended 10 minutes (in fact, I tied it in a top-knot and had a bath because #selfcare but also because who wants to dry off just to get back in the shower?) before rinsing, air-drying as usual and straightening. I won't lie, I was ready to tell you that there was 'no noticeable difference' but that I'd likely repurchase for the scent alone. After all, how much could one treatment improve this frazzled bleached head? Turns out, a lot. Turns out the professionals really know what they're talking about.
“It genuinely feels so much stronger, I have fewer stray hairs that sprout out in whichever direction they choose – even the overall colour of my hair feels more uniform after some haphazard at-home toning. The four-or-five inches that needed a good chop before have also been reduced to one-or-two, which is a huge tick in my book. I'd usually acknowledge at least one drawback, however minor, to prove my sincerity but I can't find a single one – it was super easy, effective, smells great and the packaging is ideal for a #shelfie. I'm already excited for my next application.”
For more No. 8 reviews on different hair textures click here for GLAMOUR's 5 People Test.
Want some blonde inspiration? Look no further...
